AATC: Puppy Chaos
by AquaViolet JG
Summary: After adopting Rylie, the Seville family soon realize that now her brothers were living with them as well. With four puppies now in the Seville home, the chocolate labs are making more trouble than Alvin could in one day! How do the chipmunks and Dave cope with this? Read to find out. Just a few one-shots; CGI version!
1. A New Home

**A New**** Home**

_**Salty gets abandoned, and soon afterwards Pike and Copper do as well. Rylie was kind enough to offer them to live with her, but can Dave cope with all four puppies and 6 chipmunks?**_

Salty stretched his paws out while letting his jaw widen in a yawn. The chocolate lab puppy wagged his tail when he saw his owner, Cody, walk in the room, but Salty immediately stopped when he saw his concerned gaze. Cody started shouting at Salty, and he pointed at a broken and rare collection of star war figures lying on the ground. Salty realized Cody was blaming him.

A flash back hit the chocolate lab immediately when he saw the mess.

_Salty was curled up in his dog bed nice and cozy, when suddenly a raccoon jumped onto the open window sill. Salty jumped and stared at the raccoon in shock, when suddenly a furious dog bark came from outside. The raccoon got spooked and raced inside the house, running around in chaos. Instinct hit Salty and the chocolate lab puppy gave chase._

_Salty skidded on the slippery hard wood floor and barely missed the raccoon's tail by a millimeter. The gray critter spun around and crashed into a small table that tumbled to the ground. Salty gasped when he saw the rare star wars collection break into millions of pieces. Salty growled in fury; the raccoon just broke his human's favorite collectibles! _

_Salty barked furiously and raced to the raccoon. The raccoon zoomed out the open window and ran across the road. Salty stopped by the window, giving it warning barks. "That's right! And stay away!" _

_Salty just realized how tired he became. Forgetting about the broken collectibles, Salty curled up and fell asleep._

Salty blinked out of the memory and lowered his head when Cody kept shouting. Salty's heart started to pound when he heard his owner say the words 'you're nothing but trouble, why'd I even deal with you?' The human picked up Salty and took off his collar. Salty whimpered as Cody set him on the ground, staring down at him with a shaking head and sighing. The chocolate lab flinched when he slammed the door shut. All he could do now was walk away.

OoOoOoO

Several weeks passed, and Salty wagged his tail when he saw his two brothers coming to visit him in his now stray life. "Hey, Pike! Hey, Copper! What brings you here?" Salty barked in greeting. Pike and Copper looked devastated, and Salty frowned. "What's wrong?"

The two puppies explained that their humans abandoned them because of simple mistakes they made. Not just one, like Salty, but many. Salty's tail drooped. "They abandoned you? That's awful!"

Copper sniffed. "What do we do?" Salty thought for a moment. "First, we should tell our lil' sis. She's gonna get furious if she never found out about this when she might've been able to help. C'mon," Salty led the way to Rylie's house.

In no time flat, they reached her home. Rylie lived with the Seville family because Dave adopted her. Salty sniffed around the dog flap and hopped inside with Pike and Copper following. Salty pricked his ears when he heard crashing coming from the upstairs. "Guys, it sounds like Rylie's in trouble!" Copper yipped. Pike growled. "We gotta save her!"

The three puppies trampled up the stairs like a stampede of elk. They burst into the bedroom, and everyone in the room froze. 6 chipmunks had pillows in their paws, while Rylie had a pillow in her mouth. Rylie dropped the pillow and trotted up happily to her brothers. "Hey, guys! What are you doing here?"

Salty, Pike, and Copper explained everything. Rylie's tail drooped. "This is insane! We gotta do something!" Salty sighed. "What is there we can do?" Rylie's eyes lit up. "I know! Why don't you live with us? I'm sure Dave'll allow it!"

Copper lifted his head. "Really? You'd do that for us?" Rylie wagged her tail furiously. "Of course! You are my brothers, after all, and I care about you." Pike smiled. "It's worth a shot!"

Rylie nodded and turned to her chipmunk friends, who sheepishly smiled at the three dogs. "I'm not so sure. Dave's got a LOT on his hands already," Simon muttered, looking at Alvin when he said this.

Eleanor trotted forward. "We can't just have them live on the streets!"

Jeanette shyly nodded in agreement, but didn't speak.

Brittany placed her paws on her hips. "There is no way we will let that happen, Ellie. Of course we'll give it a shot, but don't be surprised if Dave says no."

Copper jumped up and down. "Oh, thank you thank you thank you!"

Simon sighed and raced into Dave's bedroom. Rylie watched him go before turning to her brothers. "This is so exciting! We'll be able to see each other every day now!"

Salty sighed as he watched his brothers, Rylie, and the chipmunks talk about all the exciting things they were going to plan. He was excited too, but also concerned. _What if we're too much to handle for Dave? I would hate to be abandoned a second time. _

A shadow loomed over the puppies and chipmunks, and they all looked up to see Simon and Dave.

"Simon told me everything," Dave started. Everyone leaned forward apprehensively as he continued. "And I'm very upset about the incidents that happened to these puppies."

Theodore stared round eyes up at his adoptive father. "Can they stay?"

Dave slowly nodded. "I guess I could handle that."

Everyone cheered in joy. Rylie jumped on Copper and they instantly started tussling. Salty jumped out of the way and glanced up at Dave, who had a warm smile across his face. Salty's tail began to wag. _I guess we will have a new, trusted home after all._


	2. Puppy Love

**Puppy Love**

_**The chipmunks, puppies, and Dave all go to the dog park when Rylie sees something that makes her feel something she's never felt before... or someone.**_

Rylie hopped down the street, tail and chin high. Her ears flopped each time she went up and down, the wind blowing into her fur. She stuck her tongue out happily; nothing could be better than her going on a walk with her best friends and brother.

Copper shoved Rylie's side. "Hey, are you listening?"

Rylie blinked. "What?"

Pike rolled his eyes. "Copper just asked you a question; are you excited for going to the dog park today?"

Rylie wagged her tail. "Of course I am! It'll be so fun; we'll be able to meet so many new friends!"

"And sniff out new territories," Salty added.

Theodore hopped towards the puppies, also eager to get to the park. "We'll be having a picnic there," He started. "After we eat lunch, we can play around and meet new dogs!"

Brittany sighed and glanced up at the sky. "I just wish we could've waited for a cooler day to go," She murmured. "I'm boiling out here!"

Copper pricked his ears. "We're here!"

Just several feet away was the beginning of green grass that stretched out that seemed millions of strides away. Humans and dogs filled the park, either having a picnic, playing with a pet, or just a nice talk with a friend. There were luckily several trees around; Rylie feared if there wasn't, they would all roast into a crow's dinner.

Salty stared at the park in wonder. "It's amazing!"

Copper yipped in agreement. "A perfect place for a snack and a game!"

Pike only wagged his tail, showing he was on their side.

Rylie stayed silent.

Her brothers turned to look at her expectantly, but she hardly even blinked. The male dogs exchanged confused glances; usually Rylie was the first for her excitement to burst. But instead, she seemed absolutely the opposite.

The chocolate lab puppy was watching a tall, handsome yellow lab, who seemed to be just a little older than her. The lab's eyes were a creamy brown color with a strong-built body. His sleek, shorter fur looked surprisingly flattened and smooth, and his tail was a bit fluffier than the rest of him, along with his ears. The muscular puppy was Rylie's dream crush.

Rylie stared dead ahead. "He-he's beautiful," She murmured slowly, as if distracted.

Pike cocked his head. "'He'?"

Rylie suddenly jumped into the air, squealing. She dashed off, skidding to a halt in front of the adorable puppy. He seemed to be showing off to a bunch of female dogs, who were staring at him with a dreamy gaze.

Salty, Pike, and Copper exchanged unsure glances before following Rylie. "I've got a bad feeling about this," Salty whispered as they neared their younger sister.

The chipmunks and Dave just finished setting up the picnic. Theodore stared at the food in awe, obviously ready to dig in. Eleanor giggled at Theodore's eager face, but it slowly faded away as her head turned and saw Rylie and her brothers joining a big group of dogs.

Eleanor elbowed Theodore lightly, getting his attention. The green clad chipette pointed to the puppies, and Theodore nodded in understanding and the two headed towards the dogs.

Rylie tried to get a better look at the handsome lab. She accidently bumped into a cocker spaniel, who glared at her crossly.

Rylie shuffled her feet in embarrassment. "Sorry!" The spaniel's eyes slowly changed from annoyance to curiosity. "Hey, girls! Come check this out!"

Rylie blinked as a Labrador and a black lab with a white spot on her muzzle flanked the cocker spaniel, gazing at her. "What's up, Rose?" The Labrador asked. She turned to Rylie and stifled a laugh. "Look at that, Star!"

The black puppy named Star turned to Rylie as well. Her ears flicked in amusement.

Rose grew a smug grin, causing Rylie to shiver in uncertainty. "Do you really think you can impress this pup?" Her muzzle pointed up to the lab. "Good luck with that. Besides, I saw him first."

The Labrador growled. "When Rose wants something, she gets it. Or _him." _

Suddenly a shadow loomed over the girls. "What's this?"

Rylie looked up to see the yellow lab standing right in front of her. She gaped in wonder. He was even _more_ handsome up close!

Rylie immediately stood up, quickly checking if her pelt was completely clean. "Oh- uh, hi! I'm Rylie!" She yipped, slightly embarrassed at the first impression.

The dog leaned forward and sniffed Rylie gently. She was so love sick that Rylie thought the red of her cheeks was showing through her fur. She saw a whiff of Rose's eyes full of jealousy, but she ignored the cocker spaniel.

The yellow lab dipped his head. "Hi, I'm Boulder. What's your name?" He asked in interest.

Rylie tried hard to keep still. "I-I'm Rylie."

Eleanor and Theodore poked their heads out from a bush. They watched Rylie staring at a muscular yellow lab. They seemed to be talking to each other.

Theodore leaned forward closer to try and hear what they were saying. "Is Rylie making new friends?" He asked his counterpart. Eleanor shrugged. "Looks like to me like she's trying to make more than just a friend. C'mon, let's give them some privacy!"

"Rylie," Boulder repeated softly. "What a pretty name…"

Rylie's heart started to pound. Excitement pulsed through her and her cheeks felt even more hot. "Thanks," She started, dipping her head. "I-"

"…for a walrus!" Boulder suddenly exclaimed. The puppies all around him started yipping in laughter. Boulder grinned smugly. "Buzz off, pup. I've got no business with you here."

Rylie stared at Boulder, confusion sweeping over her. What was a walrus!?

Boulder turned tail and trotted away, with several girls following him. Other pups were whispering and casting swift glances at Rylie, making her feel uncomfortable.

_Boulder… he… he doesn't like me! _Rylie realized with a jolt. _He doesn't like me one bit! _

Rose shot a look of triumph at Rylie before racing off towards Boulder. She purposely said loud enough for Rylie to hear, "Yea, definitely an ugly name. It matches with her face."

Rylie's heart sank to the ground. Her feet trembled as if they weren't willing to hold her up anymore. All she wanted was a good friend- - maybe even more than just a friend- - and they wouldn't accept her. What was so different about Rylie that the other dogs didn't like?

Pike, Salty, and Copper watched the whole scene from a distance. "How dare that Boulder say such things to our little sis!" Copper growled. "Why, I outa-"

Pike interrupted his younger brother. "If I see him say one more terrible word to Rylie, he'll be looking for his ears and tail!"

Salty sighed. "We know Boulder was being a jerk. But I'm sure those words hardly affected Rylie; she's usually not that sensitive."

Rylie sniffed sadly. Her disappointment was overwhelming her. She slunked away into the bushes, trying to get away from the other dogs.

Dave called everyone for lunch. Rylie didn't feel hungry, but she didn't want to hang around in the bushes for much longer. As she stepped out of the bush, she blinked in surprise as Boulder stood right in front of her. He looked a bit nervous.

"What do you want, _Boulder_?" Rylie spat, saying his name like it was a bad tasted on her tongue.

Boulder flinched. "I know you're upset with me. You have every right to be mad. And, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I judged you by your name, and not your personality. You looked nice, but I was too proud to see that."

Rylie blinked in surprise. Was he… apologizing? She stood there silently.

Boulder started to feel awkward with the sudden silence. "Do you forgive me… Rylie?"

Rylie's heart soared. "Of course I forgive you!" Her tail wagged furiously. But then it stopped when Boulder asked a certain question.

"Wanna hang out or something? I could, uh, find us something to eat."

Rylie instantly realized he was offering something she didn't seem to want anymore. "Well… how about I introduce you to my friends?" She pointed with her muzzle towards the chipmunks, Dave, and her brothers. She smiled as she saw Theodore catch her eye and wave.

Boulder looked a bit disappointed, but understood her feelings. "Sure. They look nice too, just like you."

Later that day, Rylie, her brothers and the chipmunks played with Boulder until the sun was close to setting.

Boulder was panting hard. "You squirrels- - uh, chipmunks- - are fast!"

Alvin grinned cockily. "Ya better believe it!"

Dave stood up, yawning. "It's about time we leave now, guys. It's getting late, and we're all hungry, I presume."

Copper opened his jaws in a big yawn. "But… we aren't tired,"

Dave couldn't understand him, but he answered as if he heard. "And I don't care if you say you aren't tired, I can see it just by your actions. Let's go home,"

The chipmunks, Copper, Pike, and Salty said good-bye to Boulder and they headed off with Dave. Rylie turned to follow, but Boulder's voice stopped her.

"Rylie."

She turned.

"Thanks for being a good friend. Those girls over there looked like more fun than you before, but it looks like I was wrong." Boulder dipped his head. "I'll miss you."

Rylie smiled slightly. "I'll miss you too, Boulder. As a friend." She figured she learned a lesson that day: looks can be deceiving. Rylie would for now on not get too carried away if she saw a dog who looked amazing, but really wasn't that great.

_Boulder is a good friend. I hope I see him again someday._


	3. Too Many Balls

**Too Many Balls**

**_Rylie, Copper, Salty and Pike are playing in the backyard with a tennis ball, when the boys wanna hog it for themselves. Alvin notices Rylie's loneliness, and when he gives her a billion, the boy pups get jealous._**

Rylie lied in the grass of the front yard, letting the warm sun rays bathe into her brown fur. She felt relaxed after the stressful day with the neighbor's cat, who always would hiss and claw at the dogs. The memory returned to Rylie as she thought of when the orange tabby harassed her and her brothers, unable to reach it.

Suddenly Rylie heard a call to her. "Rylie, back here!"

_That sounded like Copper, _She thought, heading to the backyard.

Rylie gaped as she saw Copper, Pike, and Salty chasing after a tennis ball. They gripped the ball all at once, tugging for it. Rylie yipped in excitement and raced towards them.

Leaping as high as possible, Rylie plunged into the tugging war and yanked the ball from her brother's grips. She ran across the grass back to the patio, where Salty, Copper, and Pike gave chase.

"Get her!" Pike barked. Copper slipped past his brothers and toppled on top of his sister. Rylie stumbled to the ground, the ball rolling away from her grasp. She saw Copper, Salty, and Pike jump over her and get the ball before running away.

Rylie sat up and watched them run with it. She sighed. _They always team up against me!_

Alvin was watching everything from the patio with the Chipettes and his two brothers. _Rylie must feel a bit left out,_ he thought. _It isn't fair for her brothers to get the ball and not share. I'll show them!_

Hopping down into the grass, Alvin headed into the garage and started digging in a shelf. He pulled out a bag full of fresh, green tennis balls. _Perfect!_

Dragging the heavy bag behind him, Alvin made it to the backyard and dumped the balls besides Rylie. She pricked her ears in surprise and shock, and Alvin smiled. "You're welcome," He grinned.

Pike jumped into the air. "Nice steal, Copper!" Salty nodded. "It was an extraordinary pounce!"

Copper ducked in embarrassment. "Hah… it's all in the paws, I guess."

Copper turned when he heard Rylie yipping in happiness. Pike and Salty also looked. The three brothers gaped as they saw Rylie swimming in tennis balls, with Alvin tossing them in the air and her catching them in her jaws.

"C'mon!" Pike yowled before plunging into the tennis ball 'pool'. Rylie yelped in shock as her brothers threw the balls everywhere across the garden. Pike pricked his ears, trying to catch every ball he could for himself. Salty was collecting them all in a pile, while Copper just went this way and that, and no one was sure what he was doing.

Rylie stood up and growled at her brothers. "These are MY balls!" Pike huffed. "Says who?" Copper nodded. "Yea, says who?"

The female pup's voice changed dangerously quiet. "**I **say so. I'll fight you off if I have to."

Copper and Salty exchanged unsure glances, before Pike interrupted them. "Oh, yea? You and what army?"

Rylie smirked before saying, "This army." Suddenly the Chipmunks, Chipettes, Rickety Rock, and the neighbor's cat flanked Rylie, all staring challengingly at the puppies.

Copper gasped when he saw the orange tabby cat. "How did you-?"

Brittany smiled and held up a bag of whisker lickin's cat treats. The cat purred and rubbed it's ear against Brittany's cheek.

"Retreat!" Pike yowled, and Rylie, the 6 chipmunks, the cat, and Rickety Rock gave chase into a play-fun fight over the tennis balls.

**Credit goes to Bluewolfbat for the idea of this one-shot. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Story of the Dark Ghost

**Story of the Dark Ghost**

_**Alvin tells a scary ghost story to the puppies and the other chipmunks. What happens when the pups take the story seriously?**_

_The moon shone brightly against the dark blue sky. Shiny stars twinkled off the reflection of the water. The cold breeze of that one chilly night in autumn made a certain boy shiver. Gripping harder on his coat, the young man trudged on through the red and orange leaves that lingered on the cold ground._

_ He sighed in relief as a small light flickered in the distance. He found a cottage! At last, after living in the wilderness for what seemed like ages, he found civilization. _

_ Soon, the young man reached the cottage. He knocked on the door, waiting for a response. When he got none, he knocked again. No response. _

_ Tired of standing in the cold, the man tried wiggling the door handle, and surprisingly it opened. Just then the lights flickered off and back on, causing him to jump. Cautiously stepping into the room, the man shut the door and placed his coat down. "Hello?" He called, hoping to find someone there._

_ He twisted around when the door opened and slammed shut again. He guessed the wind was getting stronger, and by the looks of it, rain was about to come, which seemed funny to him; there were no clouds in the sky before._

_ Lightning flashed, and rain pounded down on the roof of the house almost instantly. The man shivered, but not in cold this time. He decided he would search the house to keep his mind off of things. _

_ Heading down a small hallway, he cautiously opened a door. He frowned in confusion on what he found inside: There was a completely white room with nothing but pale curtains, but not one window. Shrugging, he closed the door and tried the next room._

_ He sighed in relief when he saw what he always longed for: a nice, soft and warm bed. He hated sleeping on the forest floor outside, so he couldn't resist. Lying down in the snug covers, he drifted off to sleep in no time._

_ He awoke what seemed like second later, only to find himself in the completely white room, still in the bed. He blinked, wondering on how he got in there. Lightning flashed, and he whipped around the room in horror. How had he seen the lightning when there were no windows?_

_ The curtains started to sway, even though there was no wind. Thunder cracked, and the floor boards outside the room started to creak. His heart pounding, the man realized that he was not alone…_

OoOoOoO

"…and then, the figure in the dark cloak grabbed his arm, yet there was no hand! Frozen in fear, the man slowly started to disappear, and was never seen or heard from again!" Alvin hissed.

Rylie, Pike, Salty, and Copper shrieked in fear and raced around the bedroom, unable to not panic. Alvin jumped in surprise when he found Copper hugging him tightly. "No! Save me from the Dark Ghost!" He whined.

"Hey, get off- oof!" Alvin's words were cut short when Rylie, Pike, and Salty joined Copper in hugging him. "Stay away, Dark Ghost! We promise we won't bother you _ever_!" They cried.

Simon rolled his eyes. "Guys, ghosts don't exist. There's no reason to be afraid; it's just a story-"

Suddenly the lights flickered and the chipmunks- - including Alvin, who was originally in the puppies grasps- - disappeared. The puppies froze for a moment, before screaming in total panic and ran around the room again. "Help us!" They howled.

The lights turned back on again, and the puppies paused, unable to move in their fear. "What in the world is going on here?"

It was Dave.

Rylie jumped when she heard an all-too-familiar voice coming from behind. "Er, we're just telling each other gho- uh, stories."

Dave looked suspicious, but he went on. "Well, it's time for bed, so no more-" Thunder cracked, drowning out Dave's words. Pausing, he continued his sentence when the thunder faded off. "…so no more stories."

Everyone _awwed _before heading to their beds. "Goodnight, guys," They said to each other before Dave turned the lights off and closed the door.

Copper sat up, his heart still pounding. "A-Alvin?"

"Yea?"

"Y-you disappeared, after you finished telling the s-story. What happened?"

Alvin chuckled. "Oh, that. When the lights flickered off, I quickly escaped your grasps and hid behind the dresser, dragging my brothers and the Chipettes along. It was_ funny!"_

Pike shook himself in embarrassment. "I wasn't scared. I just… played along,"

Salty hesitated. "But how'd the lights flicker?"

When no one answered, lightning struck and thunder cracked. The puppies and chipmunks squealed in fright, before quickly saying goodnight and hiding in their blankets and doggy beds.

**Credit goes to Bluewolfbat for the idea of a ghost story. Thanks for reading! :)**


	5. Cat Trouble

**Cat Trouble**

**_The neighbor's cat gets revenge on the pups when Pike manages to hit a hard nerve. _**

"No! Harder!"

Copper sighed. "How hard do you expect me to throw it? It's kinda hard to throw a ball with your mouth, ya know,"

The four puppies were enjoying a nice fall day, which was warmer than most. Orange and red leaves lied on the grass floor, and just then one leaf drifted onto Pike. He shook out his fur in annoyance; he didn't enjoy the fall weather as much as his brothers and sister did.

Copper grasped a ball into his mouth before whipping in a circle, flinging the ball towards his older brother. Pike wiggled his hindquarters before taking a flying leap. At the last second, he twisted around and kicked the tennis ball away as hard as he could. Copper, Rylie, and Salty all gaped as they watched the ball soar all the way into the neighbor's yard, making a loud crash and a hissing cat.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Rylie breathed.

Pike puffed out his chest. "I've practiced that move since the first time we came here to live with you, Rylie,"

"With my help!" Copper added proudly.

At that moment, an orange tabby cat leaped on top of the fence that bordered the yards of the two houses. The tabby bared its teeth in a snarl. Copper jumped in shock and raced behind Pike, shaking in fear. "Oh, no! Do you think the neighbor's cat forgave me about chasing it yesterday?"

Rylie, Salty, and Pike all shook their heads. "Nope!" They said in unison.

Copper whimpered as the cat opened its jaws in another loud hiss. Pike growled. "You leave my brothers and sister alone, stupid cat!"

The cat didn't understand Pike, so it kept hissing.

The eldest of the puppy group stomped forward, growling. The cat stiffened, but opened its mouth in a snarl once again. Its grip tightened on the fence and its fur started to rise as Pike came closer and closer.

"Get lost, cat!" Pike barked, jumping up as high as he could and slamming into the fence. The cat hissed as it lost its balance and tumbled to the ground on the other side of the fence.

"That's right; scram!" Pike yipped after the cat when he saw it through a hole in the fence run to its house.

Copper cheered. "Woo-hoo! Nice one, Pike!"

Rylie wagged her tail. "Awesome!"

Salty scraped the ground. "Even though the cat was asking for it, it wasn't very nice."

Pike glared at Salty. "So you expect me to leave Copper unguarded and vulnerable to the stupid hairball?" he challenged.

Salty didn't meet Pike's gaze.

Huffing, Pike accepted some more praise from Copper and Rylie. Soon he realized the cat had returned… with another bigger, buffer cat. The orange tabby seemed to be smirking in triumph before meowing to the other cat. The big gray tabby hissed and slowly turned to look at Pike.

Pike held his ground, yet felt his heart starting to beat fast.

The gray tabby yowled before leaping the ground and racing across the ground so fast he ripped up strands of grass and dirt behind him. Pike stiffened as he saw even more cats streaming down the fence, way too many to chase off.

"Retreat!" Pike yelped. Pike, Rylie, Copper, and Salty turned to run, with the cats all on their tails.


	6. My Dog Ate my Homework

**_We've all heard the phrase 'My dog ate my homework', but what will the Chipmunks and Chipettes do when this expression becomes a game for the pups?_**

Rylie lied on her stomach in her dog bed, her eyes half-closed in a doze. A loud noise jolted her awake. Sitting up, Rylie looked around and realized that the chipmunks just got home from school.

Rylie stretched her legs before padding towards them. "How was it?" She asked.

Theodore answered first. "It was just the same, as usual."

"Yea; it's called _boredom_." Alvin and Brittany said in unison.

Pike, Salty, and Copper came trampling into the living room. "Hey, guys! You're back!"

Eleanor looked drowsy. "Yes, we are."

Soon, they all settled around the room to do their homework. Rylie watched them with interest. _I wonder what it would be like to go to school. There would be lots and lots of other people to make friends of!_

Copper obviously thought differently. "So, what's the point of homework if you already did loads of work at the school?"

Simon answered. "So you can practice what you have learned. Also to review,"

"What happens if you don't turn in your homework tomorrow?" Salty asked.

Jeanette looked up from her paper. "You have to do extra after school or something like that. I'm not sure; I've always turned in my homework."

Alvin blinked. "You can always make an excuse for not bringing in your homework."

"Like what?" Copper asked.

Simon interrupted. "Making 'excuses' isn't the best way to go. The teachers and staff wouldn't believe you anyway."

Alvin snorted. "C'mon, Si… you are way too cautious about everything. It's not that big of a deal; now, where was I? Right, excuses."

The puppies leaned forward, clearly waiting for a response.

"The most common excuse is 'My dog ate my homework'."

"Huh?" The puppies said in unison, their eyes full of confusion.

Brittany spoke up. "That phrase was said way too often. The staff always takes it as a joke.

Alvin frowned. "Yea, they do take it as a joke. It's a shame how they don't take things seriously anymore."

Rylie, Salty, Copper, and Pike all exchanged glances.

Suddenly Simon stood up. "Well, I'm done with my homework."

"Me too," Jeanette said.

Eleanor and Theodore repeated the purple clad chipette, and soon afterward Alvin and Brittany finished as well.

When the chipmunks went off to do their regular things, the puppies stared at the homework intensely.

"So… 'My dog ate my homework'… is a little joke?" Copper asked after a few minutes.

Rylie wagged her tail. "We could play a joke on the chipmunks about it!"

Copper gasped. "That's a great idea!"

Pike shrugged. "Whatever. If you guys want to, why not?"

Salty shook his head. "I couldn't disagree more. What if we get them in trouble? There must be a reason they do that homework,"

"Yea; so they can study at _home,_" Copper reasoned. "If they study and finish it at home, why would they need it for tomorrow?"

Salty frowned. "You do have a point there," Even though Salty said that, Rylie could tell he was still uncertain.

Pike stretched his front paws out and lifted his rear in the air playfully. "What are we waiting for, then? Let's _play_!"

The three puppies raced to the sheets of paper and started to chew it all up. Salty hesitated, but soon thought it looked like fun, and he charged in to join them.

Rylie plopped down, panting, and she looked around. The homework was now shredded in tiny pieces. "Perfect!" She yipped. "Now we gotta hide!"

Pike shook out his fur. "C'mon, then! You gonna stand there until your paws get rooted to the ground or what?"

The puppies raced upstairs to hide, whispering quietly to each other until boredom reached them, and soon afterwards tiredness. The four siblings all cuddled up and drifted into sleep.

OoOoOoO

"AAHH!"

Rylie woke with a jolt as she heard a scream coming from downstairs. _That sounded like Simon!_

Pike was already up. "Simon's hurt!" He growled before charging down the stairs.

"Wait!" Copper yelped. "Come back, Pike!"

Pike hesitated.

"They probably found the homework," Copper mumbled with gritted teeth.

"Or what _used _to be the homework," Salty corrected.

Rylie laughed. "I just couldn't _wait _to see how Simon and Jeanette would react! C'mon, let's go check it out!"

The four pups raced down the stairs only to be in for a big surprise.

Simon stomped towards them. "Rylie! Salty! Pike! Copper! Did you do this?" He pointed at the shredded bits of paper.

Rylie's heart started to pound. "Uh… surprise…?"

Simon gaped. "You did it to… _surprise_ us?"

Copper started panting. "Yea! Do you like the joke?"

"_Joke?" _Simon repeated in awe.

Pike rolled his eyes impatiently. "Yea. Yesterday you guys said the saying "My dog ate my homework" was a joke, right? Well, THE JOKE'S ON YOU!"

The puppies laughed in friendly fun, but the chipmunks all just stared at them.

Jeanette couldn't contain what she felt inside any longer. She opened her jaws in the loudest, highest-pitched scream in her whole life. Everyone covered their ears, and the pups immediately stopped laughing.

When Jeanette finally let it all out, she burst into tears. "Oh, no! I've never haven't turned in my homework before! What if I get in detention? What if they get mad at me? Oh, no, what if-"

"Jeanette!" Brittany interrupted. "Calm down! It'll be okay; trust me."

When Jeanette started to get calm, the puppies started feeling guilty. "We didn't know you needed it, and, well… you said it was a joke…" Rylie muttered.

Alvin suddenly blurted out words quickly. "I'm dead! If I tell them that my dogs ate it, they won't believe me! This is a disaster!"

Pike, Salty, Copper and Rylie all glanced at each other. "We're toast."


	7. Small and Naive

**_What does Copper do when his brother and sister start picking on him for his actions?_**

Copper zipped past as fast as a flying eagle. He made zig-zags in the grass like a snake, sniffing every inch of area around him. Suddenly he stopped as he saw bramble bush rustle ahead of him. Pricking his ears, Copper leaned forward.

_Chirp! Chirp!_

He smiled in satisfaction; he had found his prey. He howled in the sky before plunging into the branches. The cricket easily hopped away from the puppy before finding safety under the fence that separated their yard and the neighbors.

Copper yelped in pain; he had thistles stuck almost every around him. He slowly backed out of the bush before calling for his siblings. "Uh… guys? A little help here?"

**_Later…_**

Rylie, Salty, and Pike managed to get almost every thorn out of Copper's pelt. Pike tugged hard on one, which was stubbornly clinging into Copper's fur.

"Can you be a little less rough?" Copper wined. "It hurts when you're pulling as if it was the worst thing on earth!"

"Stop complaining, it's almost out," Pike mumbled.

Salty and Rylie lied a few inches away, listening to Pike and Copper's entertaining conversation.

Copper slouched forward. "I'm not complaining, it just- -"Copper's sentence ended in a yelp as Pike finally ripped the thorn free. He spat it out in a rose bush nearby.

"That should teach you than to go running straight into a bramble bush." Rylie joked.

"Yea, that was pretty stupid," Pike commented.

Copper crouched in defense. "I was so focused on the cricket that I didn't realize it was full of thorns!"

Salty stretched out his fore legs. "Maybe you should try focusing on everything around you next time; that could help you work out where everything is."

Copper sighed. "You're right, Salty. I'll do that next time."

OoOoOoO

A few days later, Dave bought the dogs a plastic kiddy pool for them to play in. They all enjoyed the warm weather in the backyard, splashing around and chasing each other.

Pike flung a big wad of water at Copper's face. Yelping, Copper tried to get his older brother back, but he tripped on Pike's foot, which was meaningfully sticking out. Instead of vengeance, Copper got a face-wash in the water.

When Copper lifted his head back up, he saw his brothers and sister laughing.

"That was an epic failure!" Pike commented slyly, though Copper knew that Pike was the one who tripped him on purpose.

Rylie was rolling on her back. "Was that the best you could do, Copper?"

Even Salty looked amused. "Better luck next time."

Copper frowned. "So what, I just tripped."

The day went on, and Copper was getting embarrassment after embarrassment. Copper was almost ready to scream, when Rylie suddenly raced ahead of him. "Bet you can't catch me!" She yelped playfully back at Copper.

Copper smiled and gave chase. He charged forward, desperate to get something right that day. Just one more stride, and he'd be on her. Suddenly Rylie turned around a tree and disappeared.

Copper skidded to a halt. He blinked in confusion, looking left and right. "Rylie?"

That's when he felt extra weight on top of him. He staggered to the ground, yipping in shock. His attacker rolled him over on his back, and he frowned when he saw Rylie. "How did you- -?"

Rylie interrupted with a laugh. "It's all in the wrists!"

Now everyone was inside; it was too dark to keep playing outdoors. Copper lied sadly on the couch as he thought about the day that just went past. _Everything I do goes wrong. Why can't my brothers and sister understand that I can't do everything they can? Why am I so __**different?**_

Sighing, Copper rolled over on his back. He blinked when he saw his siblings leaning over him. _Great, _he thought. _They're probably gonna make fun of me about being so clumsy today. _

Rylie spoke. "Copper, we've noticed that you have been a bit down today. If it's because of how we were saying and doing all those things to you, we're sorry. It was only a little friendly teasing!"

Salty nodded. "Yea; we're sorry if we hurt your feelings. We didn't mean to mentally hurt you."

Pike shuffled his front paws uncomfortably. "Uh… I'm sorry for tripping you earlier in the kiddy pool." He paused before adding jokingly, "I guess I kinda deserve to be kicked on the way out."

"Do you forgive us?" Rylie asked.

Copper blinked. He did not expect this. He rolled onto his stomach and lifted his head. "Of course I forgive you guys; you're my siblings! Not only that, but my best friends!"

The four pups all cuddled together and started to chat about anything that came to mind. Soon their words were coming into yawns, and the four siblings were swept away into sleep.


End file.
